Training Log - Week Ending June 12

Another week in full Summer mode in DC - pretty GREAT weather for a couple of those days.  Funny how much more important the weather is now that I'm running.  Didn't notice these small changes in weather until I started running....

I ain't complain', I like Summer.  I run a little slower, and the humidity has been pretty high, but I still enjoy getting out in shorts and a pair of flats and "hitting it" better than three layers.

This week's training is similar to last week, except I changed out the 10k intervals to a tempo run. and the Long Run includes a Progression the last 4 miles.

So...rant on Long Runs.  I've been running for two years, and I've had runs of 12 miles or more quite a few times, but still something happens around the 10 mile mark.  I start to feel fatigued from the run .  I'm not dying, and it's not like I want to quit, but it's now a LONG run.  I keep thinking that one day this point of becoming a "Long Run" will move farther out.  Like at 12 miles I'll start to feel that way.  But, that hasn't happened yet.  I can remember 6 miles seemed like a REALLY long way to run, then it was 8, etc.  But now I seem to be stuck at 10 miles.  Dunno if it's mental, or physical, or both.

This week I planned a Long Run of 15 miles with a Progression in pace from miles 10-14, then a 1 mile cool down.  I ran on the C&O canal on a section I haven't been on before (separate post later today).  I also decided to see what happens when I DON'T fuel or drink water during my run.  Usually around mile 7-9 (about an hour in or a little less) I take a gel and drink a little bit of water.  I hate carrying water, so I plan my runs so that I come back by the car around this point in my run, quickly take the gel and couple drinks of water, and get back on the path.  This week, when I passed my car at mile 10 I just kept going, and started my Progression in pace.  Up to this point I was around 7:15 pace, so I dropped it to 7:00, after about a mile I totally bonked and started walking.  I should say it was about 82 - 85 degrees, and I was in the shade.  After my short walk break, I then tried it again, and again around .75 miles I had to stop and walk again.  I tried one more time, around 6:50 pace for about an mile, then I just slowly jogged back to the car.

Dunno is the gel and water would have helped, but I'm going back to my normal routine just in case.  I've been home for over two hours now, I drank about 32 oz of Gatorade and then more water and I still haven't pee'd.  So....I'm probably pretty dehydrated.  I also was not thinking very well,  I ended up running too far before heading back to the car, and ended up running 16 miles.

If you have a similar point in your runs, or found something different happens with you, let me know.
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After last week Sunday's long run of 14 miles I felt pretty good.  I knew I worked pretty hard that day, but it didn't seem too bad.  But boy, Monday morning, when I started my easy run I could really feel it!  I felt a little better when Monday's run was over, got a little oil back in the hips and legs.  Looking back at my training, I realized this was my first Long Run since April 18!  No wonder.  I did three races over 5 weeks, and did a little taper for each, so it's been a while since I've really tried to hit a Long Run with any kind of pace.

Considering today's Long Run - I will make sure I make Monday and Tuesday's running the next couple of days EASY.

I know everyone has their own "pain points" after a long workout.  Mine is always hips / butt / hamstrings. I don't often have any problems with lower leg / feet (probably just jinxed it!).  So, the extra work I have to do is rolling my upper butt and front hip flexors.  I do some static stretching in those areas too when I need it, after runs and after all the dynamic stretching stuff.

Very small change to my running plan - I'm moving the strides I do on Tuesday and Saturday (day before hard days) to during the run rather than "after".  Coach Jay Johnson recommendation.  I do them with around 5 - 10 min left in the run..  I kind of like that it feels part of the run and not an add-on, I found that I feel like I should keep jogging between instead of walking since  I'm "still on my run".....not sure if that is good or not.  Doesn't feel "that much" different tho.  Maybe sometimes change is good, just because it's a change.

Since I'm going to run a half on June 26 and a 5k on July 4 (just because) and my goal race this Summer is a 20k in mid-August, I'm going to focus more on getting better at the longer runs, and being more consistent with them.

Caffeine change:  I hardly ever discuss diet here, but so everyone know...I drink A LOT of coffee.  Starbucks little coffee pod things are free at work....and I go through them.  Like 6-7 a day.  I've decided beginning this week, I will NOT drink any coffee before my easy runs, which are always early in the morning.  I will drink a cup before my hard runs (Wed and Sunday), and I will drink no more than 4 cups in any day.  The change is not health related, I'm just interested to see if I can feel some pep on my hard days when I'm "caffeinated".  I've heard it works to get a boost, but only if I'm NOT always drinking coffee.  So, we'll see.  Monday's easy day did kind of suck and Wednesday's hard day was good, but dunno if that's caffeine related or not.  Also, don't know if 4 cups of coffee a day is still so much caffeine that it won't make any difference having a cup before hard runs or not.  So....there's that.


Weekly Mileage:  51 (Highest mileage week ever!)
Long Run:  16 (Matches my prior longest run)
Weight: 138-139

Daily workouts (Bolded days are the harder workouts)

Monday: 35 miles easy on WOD in Herndon.  (4.3 miles).  Man, this was a tough run.  I was more tired than I realized from yesterday's Long Run.  Funny...I felt like I was barely moving....and I didn't check my watch, and still I ended up with a 8:05 pace.  Not sure what that means, but there it is.  I'm not going to second guess it, I ran by feel and I ran slow enough for it to be "easy" or "conversational".  Foam rolling and dynamic stretching, extra work on hips.

Tuesday: 51 minutes easy on WOD in Herndon including 4 strides (6.3 miles).  Core work.  Stretching and rolling.  Moved strides to during the run instead of after.  I ran them with about 5 minutes left in the run so I ended up with a few minutes "cool down" (if you can call it that after strides). 

Wednesday:  10 miles -  with 2 x 8' @ 10k pace (6:15) with 3 mile tempo run.  I planned faster intervals today, but I like to do those on the treadmill to be consistent on pace and today had GREAT weather, and I'm going to do a half marathon in a couple weeks, so I changed my mind and did a 3 mile tempo instead.  I ended up running the tempo at a pretty good pace (6:15 / 6:18 / 6:42) - the first 2 miles were slightly downhill, and the last mile was uphill.  I think on flat ground it would have been about 6:30 pace.  Feel good about the workout, even the miles before and after the tempo felt really comfortable in the 7:40 - 7:45 range.  Usually I HATE running too far after the tempo because I'm tired, but today the four miles after the tempo were cool.  Upper body strength, ITB rehab stuff, single leg dead lift, single leg squat, foam rolling and dynamic stretching.  BIG day.

Thursday: off.  Not feeling bad from yesterday.

Friday: 70 minutes easy.  WOD trail in Herndon.  Felt pretty good today, the weather was GREAT.  It's actually been pretty good since Wednesday, a little cooler and less humidity.  Ended up going 9.1 miles / 7:44 pace.  Dynamic stretching and hip strength / mobility work.

Saturday: 40 minutes easy on C and O canal towpath.  Wife joined me (she walked / jogged).  Made it a nice morning.  Weather was again pretty good.  Ended up at 5.2 miles / 7:35 pace - which seems a little fast, but I felt good the whole time    Core work / dynamic stretching.

Sunday: 16 miles - last 4 Progression - FAIL.  Long description above.  Ended up at 7:30 pace / 2:00.  ITB rehab routine, upper body strength, single leg squat, "rocket jumps" (standing jumps keeping arm at my sides - my attempt at plyometrics - Coach Jay Johnson).  All day on Sunday - RECOVERY!